Planting Notes: Herbs in the Middle of March in a Small Spot

Where are you going to plant herbs? A “pocket garden”, about 4 feet by 4 feet square, is a good beginning point—or an area that takes advantage of rare sunlight.

Plan the placement by knowing the needs of the plant. Sunny? (More than 6 hours a day) Partial shade? (Less than 6 hours of direct sunlight). Most to total shade is a condition that can harbor herbs—the right kind, such as mints, Lady’s Mantle, Sweet Woodruff, and Solomon’s Seal.

After you have prepared your plot through digging to soften the soil and  fertilized it (use an organic one), you can place each plant in the plot.
Dig a hole about the depth of the roots of the herb plus an inch. Make sure the roots fit to the depth in the space, then place the soil around the plant.

Do not cover the leaves of the plant.
Water, and continue attention to the plants. New growth, like a small leaf edge, will signal that the herb took root. The plant begins its tour out of in the ground darkness!

Pay close attention to watering needs as well as careful weeding. Weeds will entangle around the herb roots and compete with the plant for space and the attention of the Sun.

Also be aware of the needs of the plant to have dry land! A soggy plant is eventually a dead plant.

It helps to mark the plant with a label so that you don’t remove the herb with the weed. The bigger the weed grows, the more likely that is to happen.

It is often said that herbs do not have insect problems---Wrong! Basil has problems caused by aphids, leafhoppers, and beetles. This should be a problem in the early stages of growth, but in High Summer, everything is eating everything.

What to Know About Your Herbs for the Growing Season

Before you even get comfortable with your seed packets---look over some of these herb planting sites.


Herbal Information: University Extension Links Here, you can gather info as universities present it. .

Herbs: Organic Greenhouse Production---Directory of Organic Seed Suppliers
A food link to have come spring---actually, before, to plan well.


Growing Savory Herbs---do you want to grow your own and sell it? This fives a larger oersoective than we woud use, but we get to know what we are in for and how herb crops are counted.


Here are soime tips  I compiled for some  everyday herbs. Know the size they will be before sowing seeds.

Planting

Plant Ht in inches Space in inches Water Sun(light) Shade Growing temp Harvest Time

Cilantro 24" 18" apart M H L C Summer

Dill (aneth) 24-36" 12-15" apart M H L C Summer

Lavender 12-18” 18” apart M H M C & W . Watch Flower blooming stage

Mint 12-18". varies M M-L H C & W All season. Stems are bitter.

Oregano 12-18" 12-15" apart M H L W When flowers appear

Thyme 12-18". 18" apart M H L W Mid summer bef. flowering

Parsley 12-18" 9-12” apart M H M C&W All season; bitter in 2nd season.

Sage 24-36 “ 18” apart M H M W Leaves; prior to blooming
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Height: Varies, usually the standard plant (such as Salvia officinalis) is used.
Planting Space is the spacing used between the plants planted to provide , the "spread" necessary.
Water: All plants above should be watered on a regular schedule, taking care to not overwater. Some (thyme) can stand a bit of drought. Signs of overwatering include yellow leaves.
Sun (light): Most Mediterranean herbs enjoy full sun (a minimum of 6 hours.) Others can take partial shade; some others yet, particularly the mint family, can flourish in partial to full shade.
Growing temperature- seasonal times when the plant is at its best. C=Cooler weather, W=Warmer weather. Cool: Sow in early spring, harvest in summer, The plant does not do well midsummer. W: sow or put cuttings in the ground after the danger of frost is past. Will do well in midsummer.
Harvesting: Plants have different peaks, many offer clues through the ways the leaves look or flowers unfurl.
2012 

Pat Libutti

:urbanherban.blogspot.com

Summer Memories: Bees and Basil

One summer in Teaneck, I took a cooking class featuring summer salads. The store is long gone, but the recipes and ideas for new ones stay with me.

This is a great end-of-summer salad, one when all the tomatoes are stilll in the  market.

Be quick---by September 10, you may see those ugly pale pink tomatoes , pale tasting, no odor. (go get canned ones instead then)

This one is also an assemblage of ingredents, and can be made into a
 full meal in several ways (add sausage or add chick peas for protein requirements).

Ingredients

Three tomatoes, cut into eighths
Fresh cooked corn (or canned if it is winter) 1 cup
Red onion, one medium size, diced
One red pepper or a small jar of rasted peppers.
Cilantro dressing


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The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.